The present invention pertains to an aircraft antiterrorist security system. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a system for preventing terrorist personnel located in a passenger area of an aircraft from taking control of the aircraft, and limiting the harm done to passengers aboard the aircraft by such terrorist personnel.
The present invention is intended to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for preventing terrorist personnel located in a passenger area of an aircraft from taking control of the aircraft. It is another object of the present invention to limit the harm done to passengers or crew members aboard the aircraft by such terrorist personnel.
In accordance with the present invention, an aircraft antiterrorist security system is provided. An intrusion resistant door system separates a pilot cockpit area from a passenger area on an aircraft. A remotely activatable personnel incapacitating system is provided that is effective for incapacitating personnel located within the passenger area. A remote control system is provided that is effective for remotely activating the personnel incapacitating system.
The remote control system may comprise a manually activatable actuator located in the pilot cockpit area. In addition, or alternatively, the remote control system may comprise a wirelessly activatable mechanism for receiving control signals from a ground-based location for remotely activating the personnel incapacitating system. Alternatively or additionally, the remote control system may comprise a passenger-activatable mechanism for enabling passengers to activate the personnel incapacitating system. The passenger-activatable mechanism may require one or more simultaneous individual passenger activation.
In accordance with the present invention, the personnel incapacitating system includes at least one of a system for filling the passenger area with an incapacitating gas such as tear gas, nitrous oxide, or the like, a system for spraying the passenger area with a movement inhibiting material such as a sticky material, expanding foam or the like, a system for introducing sound frequencies into the passenger area effective to reduce the capacity for harm by personnel.
The intrusion resistant door may include a remotely activatable lock controllable via control signals generated by remotely located control devices under the control of at least one of a pilot of the aircraft, a crew member of the aircraft, two or more simultaneously acting passengers, and a wirelessly transmitted signal generated by a ground-based system. The intrusion resistant door may include a substantially air resistant seal to prevent a personnel incapacitating gas from entering the pilot cockpit area. Further, the intrusion resistant door may be constructed so as to be substantially bullet resistant.